The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1887-03-25
Tho Negro Exodus.

| inc emlgrnnt agents upon ooth the white ana
colOred people of this County, are neither
known nor properly appreciated by the editors
aud correspondents who have attempted to de-
pict them.
The simple fact Of the colored people leaving
here for the West creates ll-feeliug among
the white people. The complaint arises mainly
| from the peculiar time aud circumstances of
their leaving, together with the full conviction
] that they are being grossly deceived and wick.
, edly decoyed into taking the step, by hired
strangers, who SO work upon the credulity of
their weak natures as to make them believe that
they arc oppressed and bordins on state of
slavery here. without the slightest hope for the
| future, while in the West, to which they are
in vited, good land, good crops, easy living and
fortunes await oil who arc willing to 60 there
for them, and q free ticket to that land Of prom
Use, captures the victim. That is the story
they have been feeding the poor colored people
on, rery secretly, for the past three months, so
we arc informed by an intelligent and, we be-
lieVe, very reliable coorel man, who says he
had just sense enough to see through the ras-
caly scheme OF course, no one claims any
right to prevent those who do not see through
tho rascally scheme from going; but in the
manner of the going of most of them there is
srievous cause for complaint.
In this respect the Charleston Ners and
Courier is greatly in the dark in it's, to US,
paradoxical statement that
While the Union County farmers, therefore,
had just cause for Indignation, they really had
no excuse for threatening violence to the emf
grafton agent. They are already protected by
the law, and the law is strong enough for their
defence. The Act regulating the making of
| contracs between landlords and lnborers
provides that, when laborers agree to work
| on farms for q specified time, they shall
perform their part Of the contract pen
atty of fine or impri risonment. The Union
| County hands are said TO be under contract to
| work for the year. The remedy Of their en-
ployers was plain. Instead of being anxious
ogct hold Of the emigration agent, with the
help Of tine nearest trial justice they could have
easily headed the exodus in the direction of the
| county Jail. Laborers need not make contracts
| unless they choose, but when they once enter
| into obligations of any kiui they should be re-
quircd to come up to the very letter of the law.
In the above, you can and yau can't protect
yourselves by law, is very plaia to the Farmers
OF Union County. But there is atrite saying
very applicable to the present emigration move
ment, i. e., catching bcf,re hanging. and the
/
norant of the negro character, if he docs not
know that, MS race, they are the hes, hands in
the world TO keep profoundly secret from tho
| white people any intended movement of them
| selves and friends in which there is wrong
doing and danger of detection. In this case
this characteristic was exercised with more than
usual saution and in nineteen cases out oftwenty
the farmers did not know TIA. any of their
contract hands even thought Of leaving, until
Alter they Ind gone generally the next morn
ing-and out of reach Of tac nearest trial JUS
tice,' in this State, and the Agent with them.
W., in . number of cases, tho hands on farms
five miles from town fcd tho ssocK and received
instructions for the next days work, rs late ms
o'clock at night, and by ten o'clock, when
their employers were asleep, they wore half way
to Spartanburg, on the Gospel train. So il
was with cooks and housc-servants.
The exodus was managed, through instruc-
ton from the travelling agent, with rs much sc
erecy as the old Radical Union League, for tho
Agents know that such secrecy was necessary
for their purpose, at this season Of tie year.
Most Of our Farmers had made contracts with
their laborers during the month Of January and
|
been providing them with fool and house rent
ever since. but they have done but little work
in that time, in consequence of the un2ropitious
weather. Work ha. jus: now commenced, and
it is hard for those who have been feeding
laborers for two months and over TO have
strangers come among them nnd secretly SOW
dissension and discomfort among those lahorers
and entice them to steal away in the light time,
leaving the farmers in the lurch, particularly at
this, the most important season of the year.
It's an outrage upon the Farmers, and VIC sim
cerely sympathize with them in their indigna-
tion. &
II those Agents will come in the Fall of the
year, or before tho time for making contracts
fer the years labor, they can operate openly
without any danger of being mo!ssteI, and can
then take away as many laborers rs they can
induce to 60 with them bnt to impose upon
our Farmers the expense of feeding and pro-
viding for their labor during the months when
their work would not Pay for the snlt in their
bread. and just ms ih" years work commences
to have them suddenly and secretly enticed
| away, is enough TO arouse the anger Of the
| most patient individual and cause a general
feeling Of distrust aud Indignation amonr all
| classes.
| The Agent cannot deceive any one by pre-
tending to represent any railroad in his mis-
chievous agency. When Railroads call for
hands they want able-b ,diei men, but in this
exodus case, families Of women and children
were preferred, anil. in fact, no single man
would be accepted. Under that arrangement
many ludicrous scenes and hasiy marriages o..
CURED nt the depot just before the train started